1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet printer. More particularly, the present invention relates to an ink jet printer that executes a process that jets ink from nozzles in order to print and a process that jets ink from the nozzles in order to clean the nozzles, and has a function which cleans the ink that was jetted in order to clean the nozzles.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ink jet printer comprises a plurality of nozzles, and prints on a printing sheet by jetting ink from the nozzles. The diameters of the nozzles are extremely small, and there are times in which the nozzles will become clogged. Or, there may be times in which air bubbles become mixed with the ink, and thus the amount of ink jetted from the nozzles will be insufficient.
Accordingly, some ink jet printers will execute a process that jets ink from the nozzles in order to print, and a process that jets ink from the nozzles in order to recover or maintain the ability of the ink to be jetted from the nozzles. The later process will be referred to as a flushing process in the present specification. When the flushing process is executed, the clogs in the clogged nozzles can be cleared, and the ink having air bubbles mixed therein can be discharged. When the flushing process is executed at an appropriate timing, the ability of the ink to be jetted from the nozzles can be recovered or maintained, and the print quality can be maintained at a good level.
Some ink jet printers comprise an endless belt which serves to carry printing sheets. Some ink jet printers that execute the flushing process will jet ink toward the endless belt from the nozzles for the flushing process. If the ink is jetted toward the endless belt that is not covered with a printing sheet, the printing sheets will not become soiled due to the execution of the flushing process.
Ink jet printers that execute the flushing process by jetting ink from the nozzles toward the endless belt must clean the ink that has adhered to the endless belt. An ink jet printer that includes a cleaning mechanism for this purpose is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication 2001-347651 (refer in particular to Paragraph 60 and FIG. 12).
The ink jet printer of this disclosure is provided with a pair of rollers between which an endless belt passes. Cleaning liquid is dispensed on the pair of rollers. When the endless belt passes through the pair of rollers, the cleaning liquid will be dispensed on the endless belt that contacts with the pair of rollers, and the ink adhered to the endless belt will be removed.